


if you don't know (now you know)

by VagabondDawn



Series: meddling in the middle (of a military mess) [1]
Category: Dreaming of Sunshine - Silver Queen
Genre: Alternate Universe - The Many Gardens of Shikabane-hime, Character Death (It's Danzo), Fix-It, Gen, Silver Queen's Dreaming of Sunshine Universe, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 14:48:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29420376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VagabondDawn/pseuds/VagabondDawn
Summary: When Shikako arrives after her last use of Gelel — sending herself across universes like a thousand seeds scattered into the wind to land and grow wherever they could — the year is 50 past Konoha's Founding.
Series: meddling in the middle (of a military mess) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2172099
Comments: 28
Kudos: 468
Collections: Dreaming of Sunshine Exchange 2020 C (Winter Round!), Heliocentrism — a Dreaming of Sunshine recursive collection





	if you don't know (now you know)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MageKing17](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MageKing17/gifts).



When Shikako arrives after her last use of Gelel — sending herself across universes like a thousand seeds scattered into the wind to land and grow wherever they could — the year is 50 past Konoha's Founding. 

It's not home. Shikako Nara, if she exists in this world, is two years old. The Kyuubi attack has been and gone — too late to be stopped or changed. The Third is Hokage again. Orochimaru has been exposed and fled the village. Konoha is still technically at war with Hidden Cloud, but the disastrous Peace Treaty meeting is still a year away. 

There's… nothing immediate for her to do. 

She has time; to get herself set up as a ninja of Konoha, to make a name and make changes. There are lots of ways she could — universe hopping has proven that there are people within the village who will believe her story, that she's too good and too strong to really turn aside. She could go to Shikaku Nara and explain and he will bring her into the fold, one more Nara in a clan large enough that no one outside will notice the addition. She could forge Genin Corps records, one more unremarkable ninja amongst many, though people might start to question them if she does show her strength. She could probably even go straight to the Third Hokage, make her way through the inevitable interrogations and emerge onto a heavily watched probation — though that route has other risks. 

Although… 

Well. If she's going to do that, shouldn't she just cut straight to the … _root_ of the problem? 

In one world — in many worlds — Sai had given her a black cloak and plain mask, had given her the cropped jacket and mediocre quality clothes and equipment that make up the Root uniform. In this world, Sai is only three. Probably too young to be part of Root already, maybe still with his family, or at an orphanage or _somewhere_ out of Danzo's reach. She hopes. 

She'll do a lot to keep it that way. 

Shikako Nara puts on the Root uniform, and lets her hair down in a way that makes it a combat liability and an annoyance but also makes it _generic_ and much less identifiable, and becomes a nameless, faceless being. A shadow, if one would. 

She enters Konoha through the secret Root tunnels that Sai had shown her — had escaped with her in one world, had led her through in another, that they had fought their way into and out of, that Shikako had collapsed once on their pursuers and buried them all alive — and emerges in the dimly lit underground space that _probably_ isn't a sewer but is also probably not on any of Konoha's official documentation. 

There aren't any other Root nin around because Root nin don't _linger_ so there isn't anyone to see her arrive, to see her pause and take in her surroundings and orient herself. Her chakra sense is a boon, because it tells her where ninja are resting quietly in the quarters, where they are moderately active on the training fields, where _Danzo is._

There are no Root ninja around, so they don't see the way she breathes deeply, the way her shadow wavers on the floor and spreads out, merging with the dim lighting of the tunnels. 

Even if they were around, they wouldn't see the way she smiles beneath her mask. 

She straightens her shoulders, makes her body language impersonal and heads at an even steady pace right towards Danzo. Feedback from her shadow tells her it's an administrative center before she gets there — a tiny collection of offices, startlingly barren, to produce whatever documentation a secret black ops ninja organisation needs. For Danzo's need to micromanage, she suspects a lot, for his need for secrecy, she suspects none. 

In balance, that probably means a lot is created and then immediately destroyed, to get the worst of both worlds. 

She approaches the office. She waits, still and steady until she is acknowledged, just like a real Root agent would. Her chakra laden shadow creeps into the room, slowly _slowly_ , so it won't be noticed. Danzo isn't a sensor but he _is_ paranoid, and he _has_ survived this long. 

She'll only get one shot at this. 

Or rather, she'll get as many shots as she wants but only one will be _subtle._

Danzo ignores her for longer than she suspects is necessary — a powerplay over the ninja under his control, but a foolish one on his part this time — and when he does acknowledge her she takes a small amount of glee at the confusion he must have. 

"This operative reports success," she says, kneeling just like a real Root ninja would. 

He has no idea what success she's reporting because he doesn't know what mission she was on because he doesn't recognise her. 

Root isn't particularly large, but the problem with running a dehumanizing black ops group where you strip the operatives of even their names is in how to _identify them._ Does Danzo remember them all? Is she generic enough, similar to a real Root member enough, acting like she belongs _enough_ for him to fall for it? 

Or will he call her bluff and make this a showdown? 

Danzo studies her, and beneath the bandages she can feel the slow burn of Kagami's eye like a dying ember. It's nothing compared to Shisui's — near dead, used up and burnt out — but it still lashes her with hot fire: _obey._

"Report in detail," Danzo demands. 

"This operative entered Hidden Cloud as planned," she says, betting that Danzo has dispatched more than one ninja towards Hidden Cloud at this point in history. What kind of plans they might have had, she has no idea, but Root ninja don't repeat useless information. Of course Danzo _knows_ what those plans were. "This operative maintained cover for the assigned duration." 

Her shadow connects to his feet and he gives no sign of noticing, not even when her chakra starts to sink _in_ — slinking into his body around his own chakra system, a subtle knife finding gaps in his defences, creating them and pushing up and up. Ankles. Knees. 

"This operative confirmed that Hidden Cloud has resealed their second Jinchuriki — a Chunin kunoichi by name of Nii Yugito." _Probably_ , by this point in the timeline. "She appears to have moderate control over the Niibi." 

Her chakra creeps up. Hips. Ribs. It's hard to control, to keep it steady when his own chakra is pushing back against the invasion, but she's only focusing on _one thing._ So really… it's far from the most difficult thing she's done. 

"Excellent work," Danzo says, apparently buying the whole thing _and_ apparently not having that fact already. Maybe she's a little bit ahead of time? Well, it hardly matters. Danzo isn't getting out of this conversation to find out. "And the strength of their forces?" 

"Depleted," she says crisply, sliding her chakra up, up and around his heart. It's easy enough to wrap a coil around his artery and _squeeze_. A second strand of her chakra creeps higher, up his neck, looping around his sharingan and covering it in a thin shell. A barrier. "Within a year, they expect to surrender. Currently, upper leadership is focused on writing terms of surrender to be beneficial to themselves. Up to and including requesting some of Konoha's bloodlimits be given to them. They want the Byakugan, most of all. Or an Uzumaki." 

"Outrageous!" Danzo snaps. His good hand comes up to massage his other shoulder, seemingly unconsciously. His pallor — not particularly great to start with — becomes chalkier. "That Raikage is too bold. He must be dealt with. Operative! Was your cover blown?" 

"No," she says, watching as his breathing gets heavier and deeper — body responding to stress that the mind hasn't noticed yet. He's too focused on Hidden Cloud, on the information she's given him. 

"Then you will… deploy… immediately—" he falls, hitting his knees with a look of surprise and just-dawning-betrayal. His chakra pulses, blasting towards Kagami's sharingan, clearly intending to sacrifice it for Izanagi… 

And bounces off her own, the thin barrier of her chakra, the one that slices through his connection to it and prevents its activation. The sharingan remains inert. 

Danzo falls face down onto the floor. 

"Huh," Shikako says to herself. "I didn't actually think that would work." 

It's not like she _often_ has the opportunity for slow assassination, rather than throw-down drag-out fights. She finds that she doesn't exactly _enjoy it_ , even if it is Danzo and it _is_ far more convenient for her purposes than being a missing ninja attacking a loyal Konoha ninja. There will be far fewer consequences, if she gets away with it like this. 

She stays kneeling and waits, because a heart attack isn't quick and the healers of Konoha are _good_. They might be able to save him. She waits and waits and then rises, going to the other office where someone is working. Is this the equivalent of a Root captain? Do they have captains? 

"Sir," she says. "Protocol is unclear. Danzo-sama is… not moving." 

The Root nin looks at her, his whole body still in a way that says he also does not recognise her and has no orders regarding this situation. Then he rises and goes to stand in the doorway to Danzo's office, as if he cannot step inside without approval. 

They're ninja. They can recognise a dead body. 

But… protocol unclear. It's not like _Danzo_ ever thought he would die. What does Root do, now? 

The other Root ninja says, slowly, "A ninja with mission critical intelligence may receive treatment," as if looking for a loophole. 

Root doesn't exactly have _medics_ , so she asks, "Anbu infirmary or Konoha General Hospital?" 

"Anbu Infirmary," the other Root nin says instantly, as if _Konoha General Hospital_ is much too far out of possibility to even be considered. 

She nods and doesn't even want to _touch_ Danzo to take him there, so quickly assembles a stretcher by pretending to have collapsible batons in her mission pack and pinning her cloak between them. The other Root nin helps, rolling Danzo onto it and picking up the other ends, like they're people who have ever done stretcher drills together before. 

_This_ , Shikako thinks as they Body Flicker into the Anbu Infirmary, _is really only the beginnin_ g. 

* * *

All of Intel has been working overtime for the past few days — since, Ibiki hears his superiors speculate, assume and gossip, the death of Elder Shimura — and Torture and Interrogation isn't exempt. It seems _especially_ not exempt, given that some of the extra work seems to be the interrogation of loyal Konoha ninja, although no one seems willing to tell him what they're being interrogated _for._

The official cause is 'irregularities in personnel records' which is a _hell_ of a reason to have the whole Intel Department combing through and recreating ninja profiles. 

Ibiki is even _less_ satisfied with the official statement when Inoichi Yamanaka hears it and says coolly, 'yes, I bet there are'. 

Wildly curious doesn't even begin to cover it, but he's been in Intel for far too long to express it. Even Aoba, who can usually be counted on to know what isn't being said, truly doesn't seem to know — which is not a good sign as to how high and deep the secrets must run. 

"Ibiki," Inoichi says, with a kind of weighing tone, as if he's judging whether Ibiki is right for this task. "You'll do. Help the ninja in 5C fill out this, will you? Just as much as you can get done." 

It's a personnel form and it's _blank_. 

All ninja have one — from the moment a person is born inside Konoha (or moves there) they're recorded and tracked. The files for long serving ninja can be several folders thick, recording all their training and missions. Even civilians regularly fill out census forms so that Konoha knows exactly who and what is within her walls. 

For Ibiki to be given a blank form… 

Either he doesn't have a high enough security level to _know_ — in which case, why is Inoichi asking him? — or… 

Or what? There are ninja in Konoha with no service records at all? 

Preposterous. 

The ninja in cell 5C is female, maybe fifteen years old, unarmed and wearing plain blacks with a short jacket with red shoulder straps for a sword. She's sitting upright with perfect posture and her hands are folded neatly on the table. She looks calm. Or, no, not calm — _patient_ , like a ninja on standby until activation. 

That could be good or it could be bad. _Not worried_ could mean security, knowing why she's here and what the outcome will be, or it could mean she's combat ready and will deal with whatever happens with the razor edge control of a ninja on a mission. 

"I'm Ibiki Morino," he says, dropping the form and pen on the table and taking the other seat. "It seems like there are some problems with your records, so you'll have to fill this out." 

There's a long pause and she doesn't take the pen. 

"Can you write?" he asks, because her hands don't _look_ damaged but that doesn't always mean they aren't. Or, well, there are some ninja that take a few too many knocks to the head and get a little scrambled. 

"Affirmative," she says, tonelessly. 

"Then fill this form out," Ibiki repeats himself. 

This time she takes the pen. She pulls the form across the table until it's neatly in front of her, aligned perfectly square, and then considers each line with frightening focus. Eventually, she fills **Chakra Nature** with 'Earth' and three earth jutsu under **Major Jutsu** and slides the form and pen back to him. 

Ibiki frowns and considers swearing at Inoichi for giving him a task that's going to be like pulling teeth. Clearly Inoichi had suspected something of the sort. _Just as much as you can get done_. What is _that_ supposed to mean? 

Ibiki takes the form back. Ibiki picks up the pen. He starts at the first line. "What's your name?" 

"This operative was not granted a name," the kunoichi says, still toneless. 

"What?" 

"This operative did not perform missions with the required success or favourability to be rewarded with a name," the kunoichi clarifies as if his issue is with her explanation and not the sheer absurdity of the meaning behind it. 

_Who—_

"What clan are you from?" he demands. "What family?" 

She blinks at him, the first break of composure — he absently takes note of it — and tilts her head to the side. "Danzo-sama did not inform me of such information," she says. There is _some_ tone to her voice when she says it, some careful consideration. 

(Later, Ibiki might look back and realise she hadn't said she didn't know, that she was very carefully talking _around_ something, but in the moment he hears _Danzo_ and misses it. Even later than that, he wonders if the name drop was deliberate too.) 

"Danzo?" he repeats. "Elder Shimura?" 

She gives a single nod and goes back to that waiting stillness. 

Ibiki thinks about Inoichi's coldness, and all the secrets that everyone _isn't talking about_ , and the way that the Third isn't alarmed by the appearance of ninja with no records — the way they're accepted to _be_ Konoha ninja, not imposters, not spies, not missing nin. 

He clears his throat. "Your ninja ID?" 

He swears she looks a little amused, beneath the blankness. "A true ninja is anonymous and cannot be identified. In this way, they can act in the darkness without implicating the village. They are tools that can be interchanged as necessary, as traceless as kunai." 

Ibiki hates _everything_ about this. 

"Your age? Date of birth?" 

She tilts her head again. "Older than fourteen," she says. "Hm. I… came into this world on the 28th of July." 

Ibiki writes that down, glad to have _something_ at least. She's the same age as Mitarashi Anko, a kunoichi who also spends far more time in these interrogation cells than Ibiki thinks is necessary. He really doesn't _like_ the blank first lines and has to strongly resist the urge to pick an alias. 

That is… probably not what his job is. 

"Well, happy birthday," he says, feeling only a little inane about it. "I'll see if we can spare a celebratory biscuit." 

"Thank you," the kunoichi says, apparently sincerely, as though a late birthday celebration in an interrogation room is just what she wanted. 

He manages to coax a few more details out of her regarding her skillset, but she very firmly insists that her mission history is 'classified for Danzo-sama only' and can't be budged on the topic. Ibiki considers that to be a fight he doesn't want to involve himself in, and resolves to pass _that_ buck up the chain to Inoichi. 

Frighteningly far above his pay grade. 

When he picks up the (barely) completed paperwork and stands to leave, she makes the first unprompted sound, nothing more than a soft little _ah_ , but he stops and looks at her. 

"Any further questions?" 

"The… other ninja…" she says, sounding unsure. "They're…" 

Ibiki considers her and, if she's worried about her _comrades_ , likes her more for it. "There are multiple other ninja who have to recreate their records," he says, striving to sound as neutral about it as he can. "Is there anyone in particular you have questions about?" 

"The boy with the mokuton," she says promptly, "and the young one… with the cough…" 

The boy with the _what now._

"I'll… check," Ibiki says faintly, "with my superiors." 


End file.
